Reds Organizational Depth Chart

[UK Reds Fan]

So forecasting to a where some of these guys forecast best case scenario to the majors one day:

1. Where does Frazier best case project. Is it 1B, 3B or LF.
2. 1B..Guiterriez as a backup one day. I don't see much from the rest
3. Isn't Valiaka more of a 2B or infield utility man as opposed to SS.
4. 3B..Is Rosales even on the radar after his terrible year thus far?
Who projects as better potential 3B...Waring or Francisco?..Or Frazier?
5. CF is glaring hole with Stubbs hoping to get there in 2 years.
Is Justin Reed a possiblity as well in 2 years or more?
6. Corner OF spot...Can Cumberland or Dorn be a 4th OF in the next 2 years?
7. Starting Pitching..nice depth for hopefully 1-2 spots in Cincy next 2 years.
Maloney, Bailey, Thompson are top the list. Wood is nice option within 2
years. Jukich is intriguing. Lotzar is the power arm in back of the seat.
Are Razin and Lecure possibilities at back of rotation?
8. Bullpen. Is Watson the potential future closer after Cordero's contract?
Are Pelland and McBeth good enough for the majors?
Roenicke, Viola, Geronimo, etc...and who else? Fischer?
9. Catcher...Merasco is the future hopefully...can Hanigan take a spot next
year from Bako or Ross or Valentin as at least a backup?

What other potential pieces are there that I'm missing..not including the GCL kids yet?

[dougdirt]

Originally Posted by UK Reds Fan

So forecasting to a where some of these guys forecast best case scenario to the majors one day:

1. Where does Frazier best case project. Is it 1B, 3B or LF. LFif you ask me
3. Isn't Valiaka more of a 2B or infield utility man as opposed to SS. I think he could be a Jeff Keppinger type shortstop defensively. Not really a shortstop, but probably won't kill you.
4. 3B..Is Rosales even on the radar after his terrible year thus far?
Who projects as better potential 3B...Waring or Francisco?..Or Frazier? Rosales is on the radar still, but he is fading. Francisco and Waring both have major warts to take care of before they get near Frazier.
5. CF is glaring hole with Stubbs hoping to get there in 2 years.
Is Justin Reed a possiblity as well in 2 years or more? I don't think Reed is read for 2 years from now. He is still quite raw.
6. Corner OF spot...Can Cumberland or Dorn be a 4th OF in the next 2 years? I think Dorn could start next year. Cumberland, I still want to see a little more from
8. Bullpen. Is Watson the potential future closer after Cordero's contract?
Are Pelland and McBeth good enough for the majors?
Roenicke, Viola, Geronimo, etc...and who else? Fischer? I would say Roenicke is more of a future closer than Watson.
9. Catcher...Merasco is the future hopefully...can Hanigan take a spot next
year from Bako or Ross or Valentin as at least a backup? I think Hanigan could hold his own as a backup catcher in the majors.

Answered what I could in bold.

[RedlegJake]

Originally Posted by UK Reds Fan

Are Razin and Lecure possibilities at back of rotation?

Ravin has a long road but he could be anything from front of rotation to back of rotation if he progresses. He has a great arm and fastball, good mechanics but definite command issues. LeCure I see as a possible 4th or 5th guy.

[Kc61]

Right now, after the Bruce callup, I don't see the system providing a lot of offense in the next year. The real plus hitting prospects are still in A-ball. Valaika is probably the exception, but he seems to take time adjusting at each new level. Gutierrez is someone to watch with this OBP skills. Dorn as a possible platoon guy fairly soon, maybe.

On the other hand, the team really is loaded with high minors pitching prospects. Thompson, Maloney, Wood, Jukish, Lecure, J. Smith -- and then the relievers -- Roenicke, Watson, Manuel, Pelland, Herrera, possibly Viola, to name just some. That's a lot of guys.

[IslandRed]

Originally Posted by UK Reds Fan

Where does Frazier best case project. Is it 1B, 3B or LF.

Here's my take. Could be wrong.

I don't remember hearing that Frazier was a defensive disaster at shortstop in terms of being able to pick up ground balls and make throws to first. All we heard was "he doesn't have the range, he'll have to move to third base." And he's played some third base, with no reports that I remember that he couldn't do it.

OK, so why isn't he playing third base exclusively? Isn't that the most valuable of his possible positions?

Well, yes it is. But there's this little matter of his bat, which is coming very fast, and I think the Reds are looking toward next year and the possibility that he might bust the door down by then, and they're not sure where he'll need to play. Could be third base, but they'd need to move or write off Encarnacion. Could be left, if Dunn isn't re-signed. Could be first base if he proves to be a more adept first-sacker than Votto, with Votto moving to left. I think they just don't know and they want to find out what his range of abilities is. Can he track fly balls? Does he have a natural instinct for saving mediocre throws at first? I have a feeling that Frazier's position in Cincinnati, at least initially, will be based on expediency and not necessarily his maximal value.

[dougdirt]

Frazier has had his fair share of errors this year.

[Kingspoint]

Excellent work, Golfshirt!

[camisadelgolf]

There hasn't been too much earth-shattering movement. Yuber Rodriguez finally made his first appearance in Sarasota. The Reds signed Thomas Callaro and put him in Chattanooga. Camilo Vazquez is in Louisville, but I haven't checked with anyone to see if that's permanent or temporary. With Corey Patterson up, B.J. Szymanski is in Louisville. One thing that I think is kind of funny is that if you check out Sarasota's roster, they are listed as having five shortstops.

By the way, does anyone know how to pronounce Mike Hrynio's name? I don't know why I bother asking; with the way he's pitching, he won't be in the organization much longer.

[Benihana]

Originally Posted by Kc61

Right now, after the Bruce callup, I don't see the system providing a lot of offense in the next year. The real plus hitting prospects are still in A-ball. Valaika is probably the exception, but he seems to take time adjusting at each new level. Gutierrez is someone to watch with this OBP skills. Dorn as a possible platoon guy fairly soon, maybe.

On the other hand, the team really is loaded with high minors pitching prospects. Thompson, Maloney, Wood, Jukish, Lecure, J. Smith -- and then the relievers -- Roenicke, Watson, Manuel, Pelland, Herrera, possibly Viola, to name just some. That's a lot of guys.

LeCure and Manuel are not really prospects at this point.

[dougdirt]

Originally Posted by Benihana

LeCure and Manuel are not really prospects at this point.

Lecure is certainly still a prospect. He is inconsistent but he has some downright dominating games in AA at an age appropriate for the level.

[Benihana]

Originally Posted by dougdirt

Lecure is certainly still a prospect. He is inconsistent but he has some downright dominating games in AA at an age appropriate for the level.

Maybe for you he is. For me, he's not one of the Top 30 prospects in the system, and thus I don't consider him a serious prospect.

[camisadelgolf]

Originally Posted by Benihana

Maybe for you he is. For me, he's not one of the Top 30 prospects in the system, and thus I don't consider him a serious prospect.

For me, he'd be on the fringe of the top-30 prospects in the system, but I'd still call him a prospect, even though it isn't much of one. As for Manuel, I want to say he's not a prospect, but his numbers keep proving me wrong. I think he has a better chance to be an effective MLB pitcher than a lot of the Reds' top prospects. The only thing that hurts him is his very-limited ceiling.

[11larkin11]

LeCure with 7 shutout innings tonight...

[dougdirt]

Lecure over his last 7 starts has been pretty good.

40.2ip, 35h, 11bb, 2.43 ERA and 42 strikeouts. He has his hot and cold spells, but when he is on he puts up really strong numbers.

[thorn]

Doug, I see Cumberland played CF last night, he seems to have a relly good stick this season, can he play CF in the majors? Do you think he has a chance to make the club next year?